The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-03-22
THE NEGRO'S REVENGE.
A Child stolen in New Zealand Pound in
California

California.
San FransiscO Chronicle
Seventeen years ago Charles E. jeff
ord. a machinest, with his wife and two
children, a boy and girl, lived happily
in Canterbury, New Zealand. JeffOrd
was an industrious and honest colonist,
he had built for himself peasant home,
he was sought after and all things point
ed toward prosperous career Like
most Englishmen. Jefford was fond of
sporting. and being possessed of a re-
markably pugilistic bull dog. he pitted
him against as equally a famous dog
owned by a colored man In the province.
The negros dog won the fight, when a
Quarrel. ensued between their owners
which resulted i'm a fight in which the
Englishman was the victor. The color
ed man left with threats of revenge, to
which no heed was paid by Jefford
Next day Jefford lost his son, four
wears of age, who was affectionately
known as Teddy. The colored man also
disappeared At first the family were
crazed with grief, but in time they put
the whole inquiry of the New Zealand
detective force to work to find the miss
| ing son. DAYS heightened into weeks
| and weeks into months, and the Jefford
! family were finally rewarded with the
| information that a boy and a negro
answering to the description had sailed
| for the United States Jefford, after he
| had arranged his business, sailed for this
| country and arrived here sixteen years
| ago. and advertised and offered large re-
| wards for information about his lost
| child The family finally gave up every
hope, and after several vicissitudes, set
/ led down on a piece of land near May
/ field, Santa Clara county, which they
are holding for the Peninsular Water
| Company. Last August a party OF
hunters, consisting of Al Lerky and Gus
| Taubman, of South San Francisco, with
their friends, encamped near the Jefford
/ house.
| The loss of his son Teddy was a IA
vorite topic of conversation with Jefford.
| He told the hunters Of his troubles, when
/ one of them declared that a young fel-
/ low by the name of James Bradshaw
| who was then working on the Potrero
bore a striking resemblance to him. But
little heed was then paid to the matter
Jefford receiving the news alphabetically
and placing but little interest to what
| was said. Gus Taubman, however
thought more seriously of the matter
| and on his return to South San Fran
cisco he communicated what had hap
pened to officer Eastman. Eastman
spoke to officer Bennett. who had long
known the lad and had been gooC
friend to him, having at various times
secured him places when he was in want
of work. Bennett thought it somewhat
strange. He then reminded Eastman OF
| their various conversations concerning
the boy, and then remarked that they
had never believed young Bradshaw Il
be the son of Mrs. Bradshaw, a resident
of the Potrero. Bennett, too, said thu
boy had often spoken to him regarding
the woman who had called herself hi
mother, saying:-"Officer, don't know
why, but don't believe that woman Ii
my mother.
A few days after this conversation
Mrs. Bradshaw, who is a habitual drunk
ard. went down to the police station in
quiring about her boy Jimmy, whel
Eastman imprudently began to question
her regarding her relations to him. Mrs
Bradshaw returned no answer, but, goinj
back to her house, gathered up her prop
erty and has not since been seen at tn
PotrerO. This circumstance rathe
strengthened Benefits suspicious, ant
he therefore wrote to JeffOrd asking hin
to come to the city and see if he coul'
recognize the boy to whom he was sup
posed to bear so striking a resemblance
Jefford complied with this request. HI
met the how at the police station and rec
| Ognized the likeness Satisfied that h
was his son, he told the lad to hold him
self in readiness to leave for Mayfiel'
when he should send for him, but warne,
him not to make himself known on hi
arrival, as his mother was in feebl
|, health.
On October 1, young Bradshaw, as n
; is called, visited his fathers home an,
was introduced as a friend who ha'
come there to enjoy a few days hunting
Mrs. Jefford paid no particular attention
to her guest when introduced to him
but as he was washing in the porch sh
was strangely startled. She imagine'
she traced a likeness in him to her hus
band and her other children, and whe
her eldest daughter whispered to her
-.Oh, mother, he is like enough to b
poor Teddy" she tainted.
The recognition was then complete
THEN son had been found, no furthe
hopes and fears tortured the parents, an
they accepted him as one of their family